Belle Goes Home
by SmithieGal
Summary: Belle is about to be discharged from the hospital but there is something that no one is telling her. Features: Belle, Dr. Whale, Moe French, and Ruby (Mentions: Rumple/Gold, Rumbelle)


**Belle Goes Home**

Dr. Whale entered Belle's hospital room and asked, "How are you feeling?" Belle was getting used to hospital staff coming to check on her. After Gold's last visit Dr. Whale gave her something to help her sleep. A different staff member had been in every hour to check on her, even when she was sleeping, and this was the first time Dr. Whale had come back to see her. Belle found it somewhat comforting to see a familiar face.

Belle responded, "I'm-I'm fine, I just don't…that was so scary, you know?" Dr. Whale nodded and looked at her chart and made a notation. He then said, "Belle, it's looking like we are getting ready to discharge you. Physically, you're fine and hopefully your memory will come back. Head injuries are tricky. I had a patient a while back who came out of a coma, he had lost his memory too, and after not too long, it did come back. Don't pressure yourself too much to try to remember. If it's going to happen, it will."

Belle responded, "That man…" Whale interrupted, "Don't worry about him either. He's eccentric, but harmless. He's also gone on a trip to visit his family and won't be back for a while. I know this may seem like a lot, but your father is here." Belle looked alarmed and pulled her blanket up a bit higher. Whale waved his hand and said, "You don't have to see anyone, if you don't want to. Your apartment is above the library and your friend, Ruby, said she'd be happy to give you the town tour." Belle scrunched down a little further in the bed. The thought of meeting anyone else she supposedly knew seemed overwhelming and terrifying. Whale continued, "Hey, it's a small town, I'm friends with Ruby too. She's easy to be around and she'll take good care of you. Getting reacquainted with your life won't be as impossible as it feels right now. Leaving the hospital is just the first step."

Belle found Whale's words reassuring and said, "Oh-okay…," and nodded her head somewhat erratically as she rubbed her ear. Whale said, "Do you want to see him?" For a moment Belle couldn't remember who Whale might be referring to and could only think of Gold sneaking in and kissing her while she was sleeping or shoving broken dishes in her hands, and said, "Who?!" and looked at the door trying to see if Gold was again on the other side of the glass window. Whale looked concerned and said, "Your father, Belle. He's very worried about you. You don't have to do anything you don't want to, but you never know what is going to jog your memory. Belle responded, "Right, yes. Yes. Okay." Whale made another notation on Belle's chart and placed it back in the metal folder attached to the footboard of her bed and said, "I'll be right back," and disappeared into the hallway.

Whale found Moe pacing in the hallway. Moe approached Whale and immediately asked, "Can I see her?" Whale responded, "She's still very frightened. She's not the brave, strong Belle that you knew anymore. Go very slow. Don't give her too much information, it'll just overwhelm her. If she asks you a question, answer just that specific question, don't elaborate or volunteer information. I know you'll want to hug her. Don't. Keep your distance and take your queues from her. She's still having some trouble with her short term memory, but I think that will resolve itself once she's less agitated."

Moe pursed his lips and shook his head. He said, "My poor Belle. I feel so guilty. At one point I thought this was what I wanted, and now…" Whale placed a compassionate hand on Moe's shoulder and counseled him, "We can waste our whole lives wishing things were different. She's still here. She's still in there somewhere. Just take it slow." Whale guided Moe to the door and opened it for him and Moe took a deep breath and entered.

Moe saw Belle, sitting on a hospital bed hugging one of her knees and looking somewhat disheveled. The difference was stark. This Belle looked childlike. His Belle was never childlike, even when she was a child. She always had this inner confidence and self-assurance that made you think she was far more mature than her years. This girl looked like an animal that had been caught in a trap too long, all panic and despair.

Whale was the first to speak. He said, "Belle, this is your father." Moe was momentarily startled. He hadn't contemplated having to be introduced to his own daughter. He recovered himself and quickly walked to Belle's bedside. Belle scooted back and scrunched up, hugging both her knees to her chest. Moe realized his error and took a couple of steps back and sheepishly looked at Whale, embarrassed that he didn't follow his instructions. Moe cleared his throat and said to Belle, "Sorry, I was just so excited to hear you are okay. Well, not okay, but…but you will be okay…"

Belle gave Moe a sideways glance and made eye contact with him for the first time and gave him a half smile before returning her gaze back to her fidgeting hands. It was brief, but Moe smiled and nodded to Whale, very encouraged. His Belle was still in there.

Moe said to Belle in his gentlest voice, "Oh sweetheart, it _is_ going to be okay. You'll see. I'll help you through this. I-I brought you some flowers. Hang on, I forgot them in the waiting room, I was so excited to see you." Moe bounded out of the room in an awkward manner.

Belle expelled a small laugh and pressed her fist to her lips, covering a small smile. She looked up, dropped her hand, and said to Whale, "He seems nice." Whale was relieved and replied, "He is. Will you be okay if I leave you?" Belle said, "Okay," and watched as Whale left, probably to attend to other patients. After a few moments, Moe returned carrying a vase with an enormous arrangement of flowers. He placed the arrangement on the tray on wheels that was by the foot of Belle's bed. Moe was panting a little. The arrangement didn't look particularly heavy, Belle thought, he must have run to the waiting room and back.

Belle said, "The flowers are pretty. I-I like the colors." Moe proudly proclaimed, "They're from my shop. You were always fond of roses, so I mixed in a bunch of those." Belle asked, "You're a florist?" Moe took a handkerchief out of his pocket and blotted his neck and said, "Yes, yes. My shop is just down the street from your library. You can come by any time you want. I want you to." Belle leaned back and let one of her legs stretch out in front of her and asked, "Did I come by the shop often?"

Moe was prepared to lie. This was a clean slate; they could truly start over without any monsters ruining everything. He knew the words 'all the time' would be so reassuring to this timid child. But in the moment before he spoke he looked into her soft blue eyes and felt ashamed. He knew trying to control Belle had caused their estrangement. He couldn't try to manipulate her, if she was still in there that was the surest way to lose her for good. Moe shook his head, gazed at the floor, and confessed, "No. We haven't been as close lately. That was my fault. I'm glad we have this chance to start over. Well, not glad. But, it is what it is."

Belle nodded and seemed to understand. Moe was feeling drained and invigorated at the same time. He stammered, "I don't want to tire you out. Can we have dinner tomorrow? Catch up?" Belle nodded. Relief washed over Moe and he said, "Okay. Okay then. Whale told me to keep it short. I'll see you tomorrow then." Moe moved in to hug Belle but she pulled her legs in again and leaned away. Moe immediately backed away, and said, "Sorry. It's easy to forget that you forgot. Well, see tomorrow, Belle." Belle bit her bottom lip and nodded.

Ruby passed Moe at the door. She had a large rectangular package bundled in brown paper and tied with twine tucked under her arm and a knapsack on her shoulder. She walked with such a spring in her step she seemed to almost prance. To Belle she seemed almost majestic. Ruby placed the package on the mattress at the foot end of Belle's bed. Ruby said, "This is for you. It's a present!" She gave Belle a wide smile that was impossible to not return.

Belle inquired, "Ruby?" Ruby put the knapsack on the chair near Belle's bed and was unbuckling the straps, "Umm hum?" Belle smiled to herself; Whale was right, she was easy to be around. Belle reached out for the package and pulled it back towards her. The package was about the size of a box a puzzle would come in, but heavier and more solid, like a book. She slowly untied the twine knot and removed the packing paper. Belle noticed that Ruby had come over and was peering over the lip of the paper, trying to see what was in the package. Belle wondered who the gift was really from.

Belle folded back the paper and said, "It's a book?" Ruby frowned and looked at the book and said, "Yes... Maybe you can read it sometime. See if you like it." Belle looked appraisingly at the cover. It looked old and worn. Belle questioned, "Once upon a time?" Ruby nodded and sucked the side of her cheek. Ruby then turned and walked back to the chair with the knapsack and called over her shoulder, "I brought you a change of clothes and your purse and stuff. I bet you'll be glad to be out of that hospital gown." Ruby extricated some clothing and a small purse from the knapsack and placed a small pile in front of Belle. Belle looked at the clothing suspiciously. A frilly blouse and a skirt that would hit her a bit above the knee were on top. The colors were bold. Belle stammered, "Are these mine?" Ruby nodded and was buckling the knapsack. Belle spluttered, "How-how'd you get into my apartment?" Ruby responded, "Oh, I didn't. You left some stuff at Gold's and I think your purse was in his car before the accident. He gave that to me before he left…" Ruby noticed the alarmed look on Belle's face, and backtracked, "You know what? Not important. I never got the two of you anyway." Ruby unceremoniously dropped the knapsack on the ground and flopped sideways in a chair by the end of Belle's bed, draping her long legs over the arm rest.

"We can stop by the diner on our tour. I work at the diner, Granny's diner. I bet the food here is terrible," Ruby opined as she stared at the white walls and white paneled ceiling. "Granny's grilled cheese and a bowl of tomato soup can fix just about anything," she said as she looked back at Belle. Belle didn't know what to do, so she gathered the pile of clothing and took it into the bathroom to change. As the bathroom door clicked shut Ruby leaned forward and looked at the book on Belle's bed and let out a little exasperated sigh. She should have known. Ruby wondered how Gold convinced Henry to give it up. Ruby understood what Gold is trying to do, but the book was probably a bad idea. Ruby then noticed Belle's medical chart sitting in the metal folder hanging on the end of Belle's bed. Ruby immediately grabbed the chart and started reading. A few minutes later Belle emerged from the bathroom looking uncomfortable. Ruby didn't look up, she was too engrossed in Belle's chart. Belle cleared her throat and Ruby looked up, startled.

Ruby blurted in a squeaky voice, "Oh! You look nice!" and slammed the chart shut. She expounded, "Well, this is boring as hell, how many different ways are there to say 'concussion'? Right?" and dropped the chart back in the folder at the end of the bed. Belle pulled at the hem of her skirt. It was similar to the skirt she was wearing when she was brought to the hospital, but it felt awfully short.

Just then Dr. Whale came back in and proclaimed, "Well, you look like yourself again!" Belle looked down past the blouse frills and at the skirt and felt unconvinced and a little embarrassed. Whale continued in his soothing voice, "Now, remember to just take it slow. Don't riddle yourself with expectations…" Whale's advice trailed off as he spotted the book on Belle's bed. He took a few steps closer to the book and asked, "What's that?" Belle responded, "A present."

Whale looked unimpressed and fixed Ruby with an critical eye and said, "From you?" Ruby glanced quickly at Belle and then looked at Whale and squared her jaw and said, "Yes." Whale responded, "I see. Can I talk to you in the hall for just a moment?" Ruby glanced at Belle and told her, "I'll be just a minute," and Ruby followed Whale who was already almost to the door.

As soon as they were far enough away to be out of Belle's earshot, Whale rounded on Ruby and in an exasperated voice asked, "What are you doing? She may never remember who she was before. Are you trying to give her some kind of existential crisis? Remember Henry? Wondering if fairytales are true only makes you question whether you are yourself crazy! I don't want her ending up back in the asylum." Ruby's temper flared and she countered, "Whatever, she's stronger than you give her credit for and…" Whale interrupted, "She _was_, you have to remember that that's not her anymore." Undeterred, Ruby defended, "The book was from Gold. I didn't know what I was giving her. And when are _you_ going to tell her?"

Whale was more irritated than ever and seethed, "No one should tell her. It's better if she never finds out and just tries to acclimate to her new reality." Ruby was also losing her patience, "No, not that. I read her chart." Whale seemed stunned for a moment and then said, "Oh." He rubbed his chin and lips and then pulled on the muscles on the side of his neck. Finally he said, "I don't know. I thought maybe Gold could tell her, but that went so poorly."

Ruby probed, "Does he know?" Whale retorted, "No. I think that would be too much for either of them to take in right now." Ruby ruminated, "Well, sooner or later it's going to make itself known." Whale responded, "I know, but we have at least a couple of months before that. Do you know if Belle knew?" Ruby said, "I don't know. If she did, she didn't tell me." Whale lamented, "I'm just trying to figure out how far along she is and that's not possible from just a blood test. If she hadn't told Gold yet, I'm guessing it's pretty early on. I'm going to have to tell her soon. I just want her to be a little more grounded first. I'm giving her some vitamins, make sure she takes them. I've instructed her that alcohol and caffeine are bad for anyone who sustained a head injury." In unison they both turned and looked back towards the door to Belle's room. Whale said, "We have to get back in there, or she's going to get more nervous and suspicious."

Ruby walked back in the room trying very hard to look carefree. Whale was right behind her. Ruby exclaimed, "Okay! Ready?" Belle had laid out each of the items that were in her purse on the bed, and was looking at them like they were clues to solve a mystery. She was studying the color label on the end of her lipstick. Peach passion. Belle said, "Yes-yes. I think so."

Whale approached and said, "Hey. Come on by if you want to talk or," he pulled a card out of his smock pocket, "This is my cell number, you can call me too. We have a follow-up appointment scheduled in three days. I wrote that on the back of the card. Also, you've been set up with twice weekly appointments with Archie Hopper. He's really good."

Belled nodded and stared at the strewn contents of her purse, and then whispered, "Okay." Whale put his hand on top of Belle's and said, "See you in three days. Good luck out there. You're going to be fine." Belle nodded and Whale exchanged glances with Ruby and then left.

Ruby said, "Okay, let's go get that grilled cheese. We make really good salads and this creamed spinach thing, and other healthy stuff too. It's the new year, gotta try to be healthy for the new year…" Belle didn't respond and slowly repacked her purse. Ruby took the book off Belle's bed and Belle said, "I want that." Ruby responded, "Oh, you can read this anytime. It's just kid stories, I feel kind of silly giving it to you at all." Belle said in a small voice, "I like books." Ruby's heart quickened and she asked, "You remember that?" Belle said, "I'm a librarian, right? I must." Ruby's heart sank and she said, "Yeah." Belle had finished repacking the purse and was now turning the card from Whale over and over in her hand. Belle said, "Dr. Whale is nice." Ruby said, "Yeah. He's not a bad guy." In a slightly stronger voice Belle said, "He's really nice."


End file.
